In a continuing effort to improve the quality of shipping fruits, I, the inventor, typically hybridize a large number of peach, nectarine, plum, apricot, and cherry seedlings each year. The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of nectarine tree, which has been denominated varietally as ‘JUNE BRIGHT’. The present variety was hybridized by me in 1996, grown as a seedling on its own root in my greenhouse, and transplanted to a cultivated area of my experimental orchard near Le Grand, Calif., in Merced County (San Joaquin Valley).
The variety was developed as a first generation cross using ‘Diamond Princess’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,066) peach as the selected seed parent and ‘Rose Diamond’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,421) nectarine as the selected pollen parent. A single tree from the stated cross was selected as the claimed variety. Subsequent to origination of the present variety of nectarine tree, I asexually reproduced it by budding and grafting in the experimental orchard described above, and such reproduction of plant and fruit characteristics were true to the original plant in all respects. The reproduction of the variety included the use of ‘Nemaguard’ (unpatented) rootstock upon which the present variety was compatible and true to type.
The present variety is similar to its selected seed parent, ‘Diamond Princess’ peach, by producing fruit that is nearly globose in shape, yellow in flesh color, and full red in skin color, but is quite distinguished therefrom by producing fruit that is nectarine instead of peach, that is clingstone instead of freestone, and that matures about four weeks earlier.
The present variety is similar to its selected pollen parent, ‘Rose Diamond’ nectarine, by producing nectarines that are nearly globose in shape, firm in texture, and yellow in flesh color, but is distinguished therefrom by producing fruit that is larger in size, darker red in skin color, and that mature about three weeks later.
The present variety is most similar to ‘Diamond Bright’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,495) nectarine, by producing nectarines that mature in early to mid June, that are nearly globose in shape, very firm in texture, yellow in flesh color, and full red in skin color, but is distinguished therefrom by producing fruit that is larger in size and firmer in texture.